Los Angeles County on Wednesday reported its highest count of daily COVID-19 infections since Aug. 22.
Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer announced 1,645 new cases and 30 additional deaths. It’s unclear whether Wednesday’s number signifies a trend or is a one-off linked to a backlog of cases.
“While one day of a high number of cases does not indicate a trend, this is something we need to watch closely,” Ferrer said.
In recent weeks, the county has repeatedly reported less than 800 daily hospitalizations and fewer than 1,000 daily coronavirus cases. And while the average positivity rate has decreased from a summer spike and hit its lowest number since the pandemic began, officials have warned that an ongoing incremental increase in daily case counts could pose a risk of increased transmission.
L.A. County, like others throughout the state, will face a test of time in its ability to maintain a low infection count as it continues to reopen more sectors and expand capacity at businesses.
Indoor shopping centers reopened Wednesday for the first time in months, with limited capacity, after officials gave approval last week.
The county has remained in Tier 1 — the purple tier for widespread risk of transmission — for its case rate. It’s positivity rate falls below the tier’s threshold.
The county has toggled between Tiers 1 and 2 — the purple and red tiers, for widespread and substantial risk of transmission of the disease. Though its positivity rate has fallen to 3% — the lowest since the beginning of the outbreak — the number of positive cases per 100,000 residents is still too high to progress on the state’s reopening blueprint.
The latest reopening follows nail salons, cardrooms, breweries, wineries, malls and playgrounds, which were approved for reopening over the past 10 days.
In Ventura County, several sectors have been allowed to reopen further after the county moved up to Tier 2 on Tuesday. Zoos, aquariums, and restaurants will be allowed to offer limited indoor services, and movie theaters will be allowed to reopen for the first time. If the county remains in Tier 2 for two consecutive weeks, it would be allowed to reopen schools — the overarching statewide goal to keep infections down.
Any resurgence in activity poses a risk of transmission, a number that officials aim to keep below 1. And counties that have progressed on the reopening plan can still move backward if their numbers spike. Shasta and Tehama counties regressed Tuesday — the first two in the state to be sent back a level after the reopening strategy launched more than a month ago.
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October 08, 2020 at 04:53AM
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L.A. County has highest daily COVID-19 case count in 6 weeks - Los Angeles Times
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